BIOCONVERSION OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC WEEDS TO FUEL ETHANOL BY SHF, SSF

AND CBP PROCESS

Megh Raj Bhatt, Dr. Rajani Malla, Prof. Dr. Lakshmaiah Sreerama, Ms. Jarina
Joshi
Central Department of Biotechnology, Tribhuvan University
ABSTRACT
Lignocellulosic ethanol holds great potential due to the widespread availability,
abundance, and relatively low cost of cellulosic materials. However, although
the processes are technically feasible, cost-effective processes have been
difficult to achieve. Research is needed to let more efficient processing of
Lignocellulosic biomass for production to fuel ethanol at lower costs. This
research appraises the need for introducing appropriate technology to improve
the production of bioethanol, particularly on the community basis and social
aspect of sustainability. The effect of
fermentation strategies (SHF, SSF and CBP) on ethanol production from six
lignocellulosic biomasses (Lantana camara, Saccharum spontaneum,
Euphatorium
adenophorum, Pinus roxburgi, Eichhornia crassipes and
Parthenium hysterophorus) using different pretreatment (0.5M NH4OH and
Ganoderma lucidium culture) as well as hydrolysis (0.5M HCl and enzymatic
hydrolysis) methods were studied. The quantitative analysis of the dry mass
has revealed the maximum cellulosic content of 43% in S. spontaneum and
hemicellulosic content of 22% in E. adenophorum. In addition, the parameters
for production of cellulase from a newly isolated Trichoderma sps has been
optimized to be 28 C of temperature, 72h of incubation time, 4.5 pH and 1:1
ratio of CMC and cellulose as carbon source. A separate study was taken up to
evaluate the role of some fermentation parameters for ethanol production
from S. spontaneum by SSF
and inoculum size, temperature and incubation time were optimized to be 3%
v/v, 30C and 72 h, respectively. The all three process, SHF, SSF and CBP,
showed greatest ethanol yield (0.169, 0.167 and 0.142 g/g of biomass
respectively) in S. spontaneum and least in Euphatorium adenophorum i.e.
0.088, 0.143 and 0.072 g/g of biomass via respective
processes. The
maximum fermentation efficiency of 75% was found while fermenting the
fungal pretreated Parthenium hysterophorus via SHF process and minimum
efficiency of 31% was found while fermenting the alkali pretreated Lantana
camara via
CBP. Variability existed among lignocellulosic biomasses for
conversion to ethanol after pretreatment, with fungal pretreatment being
superior to alkali pretreatment. In
addition to types of pretreatment, hydrolysis and fermentation process
employed, the results suggested that ethanol yields vary significantly for
feedstock by species. More importantly, determinations of xylose, cellulose,
fermentable sugars, phenolics and ethanol contents were performed using
cheaper, easily accessible and reliable colorimetric and spectrophotometric
approaches. Given the results of this study, it offers
Bioconversion Of
Lignocellulosic Weeds To Fuel Ethanol By SHF, SSF And CBP Process XI a highly
feasible and a simple but low-cost process for bioethanol production from
various lignocellulosic weeds in developing countries.

Keywords: lignocellulosic
fermentation, enzyme
hydrolysis

biomass,

pretreatment,

ethanol,

bioconversion,